Devo Update

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  I am having some computer issues.  Should be back soon.

Knowing God - There is None Like Him

Ex 8:10

And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God.

There is None Like Unto the Lord Our God

Moses is answering Pharaoh in this verse and letting Pharaoh know that God will lift the plague of the frogs off according to Pharaoh’s words for a reason.  The reason is that Pharaoh would know that there is none like unto the Lord, the Israelites’ God.  Pharaoh was most certainly an unbeliever.  He refused to let God’s people go and worship God and was arrogant, high-minded and stubborn.  Pharaoh had a prayer request and Moses and Aaron prayed on his behalf.  The answered prayer was intended to reveal God to Pharaoh.  God will answer the prayers of the unbeliever in order to reveal Himself to them.  We can ask those we love who have yet to surrender to Christ for their prayer requests and intercede for them praying that the Lord will use the answer to make them know that there is none like unto the Lord our God.  God uses answered to prayer to make his self known.  Let’s intercede on behalf of those who are in trouble even because of their own stubbornness, praying that the Lord will use those answered prayers to make His presence known.

Proverbs - Don't Believe Everything

Proverbs 14:15

The simple believeth every word:

but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

When we watch television or find ourselves in a conversation there has to be a bit of caution when receiving information.  If we want to be that prudent wife, we will be women who exercise caution when reading or listening to anything or anyone.  We would do well to be women who have our critical thinking skills developed.  When our children come to us with their side of the story, we should be ‘loving enough’ to listen and care and yet wise enough to search out the matter to discover the most accurate portrayal of their difficulty.  Everyone has filters and perspectives that most definitely affect the way they perceive things.  If we are going to be wise women we must take these things into account and be sensitive that there may be a missing fact or perhaps an emotional response coming out in the details.  The Lord is truth and He will help us grow in our ability to look well to our going.  Even reading a devotional like this, or a Christian book, should involve a certain amount of caution and not believing every word.  If we do this our paths will be much clearer and built on truth rather than the course of man’s words and conclusions.

Knowing God - God Does Not Answer Us

Job 33:13

 Why dost thou strive against him?

for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

God Does Not Answer to Us

The word ‘strive’ here means ‘contend’.  We are being questioned as to why we argue with God about His actions and think He has to give us an answer that satisfies our criteria.  God does not give an account of any of his matters to anyone.  God is God and God does all things well.  He is over all and He created all and He is the wise God who is holy and righteous in all of His ways.  When we lack understanding about God and His ways we had best move with caution and not approach Him with contention or demands.  He is a good God and we can approach Him with humble questions or bring our confusion about what He is doing before Him as long as we understand that He IS doing things right whether we understand or not.  We must approach our God with great reverence and seek answers with hearts that desire to know Him and NEVER to rebuke or correct Him.  He does not give account of any of His matters.

Proverbs - Ascending

Proverbs 14:4

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways:

and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

It is interesting to note that the Lord is dealing with backslidings in heart.  Our heart represents our focus and affection.  To protect ourselves from being filled with our own ways of backsliding we must be sure that our hearts are going towards the upward call of God in Christ.  Our affection must be set on the things above and our value system should reflect the worth of eternal pursuits and judgments.  In our hearts we must hide His Word and in our hearts we must be making a melody to Him.

This will protect us from sliding back, in our hearts.

If we were to be roller skating up a hill we would slide back under two conditions:

·        If we were not skating upward, leaning into the hill

-or-

·        Standing passively on the incline not moving at all

We need to be women who are ascending to the hill of the Lord.  We need to be people who lean into the ascent.  This approach not only prevents us from sliding back, but lends itself to progress and growth.  Ladies, let us be women who seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness knowing that, if we have Him before us, we will always be heading in the right direction.

Knowing God - The Lord Will Not Be Judged

Ezek 18:25

Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?

The Lord Will Not Be Judged

The Lord is letting us know that our conclusions about His ways are often wrong and our understanding of our own ways is incorrect as well.  He points out that we often discuss God’s ways and decide in studies or discussions or even denominational councils whether we think God’s ways are fair.  How dare we?!  The Lord is telling us to get our analysis and conclusions off of His ways and begin to be evaluated by Him as to whether our ways are fair or right.  Sometimes, people love to discuss scriptural truths, debate and think they are Grecian philosophers on Mars Hill in order to escape the conviction of the Holy Spirit in their own lives.  They are evaluating God so much that they don’t have to look at their own lives.  The Lord is firm about this.  He tells us that it is our ways that are to be weighed and they are to be weighed by His ways.  The Lord will challenge us when we become the ones who judge Him rather than the ones who are to be judged.

Proverbs - Laughter Can Be Deceiving

Proverbs 14:13

Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful;

and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

Oftentimes we see people around us appearing to be having a good time.  They may laugh or look like they are in the midst of an enjoyable time.  These people may be in a restaurant we visit, in line behind us at a department store or next to us in our workplace.  This appearance can trick us into thinking that they are happy and content.  The Lord warns us that even when someone is laughing, their heart may, in fact, be full of sorrow.  Sometimes people even laugh harder to avoid being perceived as hurting as they might be.  When we are around people, believers or non-believers, we need to remain observant and sensitive to their hearts.  We need to listen to the Holy Spirit if He illuminates someone in the room and draws our hearts towards them.  We cannot take their laughter at face value.  Listen to their words for hints of some sort of pain or sorrow that the Lord might want to use us to minister to them.  This is not to be a witch hunt for pain, but rather an exhortation for us to not go along with the climate of a conversation without being open to a person’s pain or burden.  The next time everyone is laughing, remember that someone in that group could in fact be full of sorrow and heaviness.  Don’t allow the group dynamics to hide the needs of the individual.

Knowing God - He Holds Our Hand

Isa 42:6

 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness,

and will hold thine hand, ….

What a precious truth!  God doesn’t just call us, He promises to hold our hands!  He doesn’t just lead in front of us.  He holds our hands.  He doesn’t just tell us what to do.  He holds our hands.  He doesn’t stand behind us and push us.  He holds our hands.  He doesn’t just stand next to us.  He holds our hands.  What a wonderful Father our God is.  He is holding our hands.  He is with us and He gives a great promise to hold our hands.  This means if we fall, He will pick us up.  If we grow fearful, He will reassure us of His presence.  If we feel lonely, His touch will speak to us of His commitment to us.  How sweet of our God to tell us that He will hold our hands.  If He said, He means it.  Let us walk in this day knowing that we have fellowship with God and He has promised to hold our hands.

Proverbs - Don't Trust What SEEMS Right

Proverbs 14:12

 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,

but the end thereof are the ways of death.

We must not be women who trust our own judgment. 

Things can seem one way but in fact be cloaked with a deceptive covering.   Way back in the Garden of Eden we see Eve looking at the forbidden fruit and evaluating whether she should eat it.  She analyzed, she evaluated and she came to a conclusion that seemed right to her.  Sisters, in humility of mind, we must seek the Lord and acknowledge Him in all of our ways so that He might direct our paths.  We may be influenced by all kinds of things to distort our discretion and judgment. 

The Lord does not necessarily call us to go in a way that seems right to us.  He calls us to go in the way that He says is right for us.  Here we see that the end of certain decisions is death.  The beginning of the road seems right but at its ultimate destination is death.  That is why we seek the God who is and was and is to come.  He will tell us not to go in a certain direction because He knows where it will take us.  We must trust Him and His ability and love to guide our lives.  Just because something appears good does not make it good.  If the Lord says, “No’ we must submit trusting our futures to Him.

Knowing God - His Face Cannot be Seen

Ex 33:20

 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: 

for there shall no man see me, and live.

The Lord’s Face Cannot Be Seen

When the Lord was speaking to Moses, He explained that a human could not see His face and live.  Was this really an appearance of Jesus in His heavenly form before the incarnation and thus in a state that flesh could not behold?  Was this the Father and Moses was being told He could not see His face?  Was this speaking about the Godhead and showing that no human visual of God in His triune nature could be seen by a human without his or her glorified body?  I am not sure.  I just look at God’s statement and realize how incredibly different in nature and substance are we than Him.  Even the angelic beings in Isaiah six have their wings covering their eyes as they worship the Lord.  This statement that the Lord makes about Himself reveals that, although fellowship with God is available through Jesus Christ, we ought always to remember that He is God and we are human.  Let’s sanctify the Lord and approach Him not only with the sense that He is our Father but in awesome reverence for His nature and being.

Proverbs - Flourishing

Proverbs 14:11

 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown:

but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

Our dwelling places are directly impacted by how we are living.  If we are women who are walking uprightly we are contributing to a flourishing environment for our children, husbands and those who live with us.  We help water and maintain a place where people feel safe and are not caught by surprise because of secret sins and hidden compromise.  Our homes will be flourishing and we will be a part of that.  Sure, our husbands might be doing wickedly and will definitely impact our homes, but, if we focus on living for the Lord, the destruction will be met with life and seeds will be planted in our children’s hearts and flourish.  Ladies, do you desire to have your dwelling place a place that is rich and fruitful?  Take heed to yourself first and watch the trickle effect your devotion to Christ will have on all those living with you.

Knowing God - The Earth is Filled with His Glory

Isa 6:3

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

The Earth is Filled with His Glory

These were angelic beings crying out these statements in front of the Lord as He sat on His throne.  They state an amazing truth.  “The whole earth is full of his glory”.  There are two strong words here; whole and full.  The whole earth is full of His glory.  I am confident that these angelic beings were telling the truth so this earth we are living on MUST be filled with His glory.  He has chosen to fill this earth with His glory.  Do we see it?  Are we blind to it?  This is such a great truth and should humble us to the point that we look around with an expectation to see things, situations and events that proclaim the glory of the Lord.  He has told us here in Isaiah that this is true and wants us to know this.  He wants us to behold things that show His glory, His truths, His weightiness and like those angels, resound with praise for them.   Lord, we believe you.  This earth, the one on which we dwell, is full of your glory.  Show us your glory today!

Proverbs - Bitterness

Prov 14:10

The heart knoweth his own bitterness;

and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.

What is deep within us - is deep within us.  Our hearts have feelings and experience that no one is able to connect with on a human level.  When we go through things we often realize that no matter how much someone loves us they cannot be the companion we need in our hearts.  If we are having bitterness or sorrow, we so wish someone could come in and help us carry such weight.  We can find ourselves feeling isolated from and disappointed with those who surround us.  When we have joy and excitement deep within our souls, we can find ourselves amazed that others don’t join us with the same joy and passion we ourselves are experiencing.  Ladies, our hearts know our own bitterness and a stranger does not get involved in the heart’s joy.  This is only found in someone who can come into our hearts and experience such highs and lows with us – Jesus Christ.  In Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays for the believers, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,” He is with us and He is able to:

·        Have His peace rule and reign in our hearts when they are troubled.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts , to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. KJV

·        Comfort our hearts when they are hurting.

2 Thess 2:16-17 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, Comfort your hearts , and stablish you in every good word and work. KJV

·        Direct our hearts into His love when others might not be loving us.

2 Thess 3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. KJV

·        Search our hearts when we are confused.

Acts 1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men,… KJV

We must not allow ourselves to have expectations on human relationships that only the presence of the Lord Jesus can consistently meet as well as exceed. 

                                                          

Lord, thank You that You are that friend that sticks closer than a brother and You dwell in my heart by faith.  I need that kind of companionship.

Knowing God - He is Our Sanctuary

Isa 8:13-14

 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; ….

The Lord Is a Sanctuary

The Lord promises us in this verse that He will be to us a sanctuary.  He puts a condition here though.  He says that He needs to be set apart in our lives.  He needs to be above everything and everyone and deserves to be focused on apart from life and its dealings.  He tells us that we need to fear Him and be concerned about His opinions, judgments and decrees concerning our lives and the choices we make.  He then promises to be that hiding place, refuge and safety that we need as we so often face storms, warfare and threats of attack.  He wants to be for us a sanctuary.  We need to run into Him.  We need to see Him as stronger than anything coming against us.  Our awe of Him must far exceed the intimidation factor of any opposition.  He shall be for a sanctuary to those who set Him apart and concern themselves with pleasing Him alone.

Proverbs - Who Surrounds Us?

Proverbs 14:7-9

 Go from the presence of a foolish man,

when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.

 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way:

but the folly of fools is deceit.

 Fools make a mock at sin:

but among the righteous there is favour.

Here we are being instructed about foolish people.  One thing the Lord is telling us is to not continue in the presence of one who is speaking foolishly.  The next two verses give us a definition of foolish speaking.  One criterion would be deceit and the other is mocking sin. 

If we are around those who are deceived or are comfortable with deceiving others, we are not in a good place.  These kinds of friendships will contribute to confusion and cloud our ability to understand our way.  Deception can cross over and darken the plainness of the path of the righteous.  Wise friends will help us seek the Lord and understand what the Lord wants us to do.  We need the Lord to give us perception with those whom we spend time.  He instructs us to be the ones to go from their presence.

Secondly, mocking sin is evidence of a foolish person.  I heard some people on a radio station the other day laughing about someone being in a rehab center for alcoholism and challenging another young person to catch up and get to that point soon.  They were mocking the sin of drunkenness and they are fools.  At that point, the station should be changed or you or I should leave the presence of such dialogue if we were in a store or someone’s home.  We need righteous companionship – the kind of friendships that promote favor with God.  We need people in our lives that seek to please God and do what He deems right.  Go from the presence of a foolish person when you perceive not the lips of knowledge.

Knowing God - The Lord Speaks Strongly

Isa 8:11

For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

The Lord Speaks Strongly

The Lord was speaking to Isaiah in a very strong and authoritative way.  Our God is God.  He has the right to make a stand and speak as One who has authority because He is the One from whom all authority is given.   Isaiah was being warned to not go along with all of the people who were deciding to align themselves with pagan nations to protect themselves against marauding forces.  God spoke strongly to Isaiah and warned him NOT to follow the cultural pattern.  When most people around us are choosing something other than trusting and living for God, God will speak strongly to His people to come out from among them and be separate.  This weighty word is meant to press on us with greater weight than the weight of peer or cultural pressure.  Don’t be afraid of the weighty words of the Lord.  Receive them.  God will speak and it is a privilege to hear Him.  Let the weight of His warnings speak great love and care to you and OBEY!

Proverbs - Knowledge and Understanding

Proverbs 14:6

 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not:

but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

When we are disciplining our children we can find ourselves lacking the understanding in certain conflict resolutions.  Sometimes when we find one of our little ones in the midst of trouble we can often jump the gun and begin down the road of handing out consequences and words that might not be appropriate for the offense.  If we find ourselves scorning or talking down to anyone we won’t be able to hear the truth of the situation and might prolong or contribute to the problem.  The word ‘understand’ is made up of two words – ‘under’ and ‘stand’.  We must place ourselves in a standing position under the situation. We have to be able to gain perspective on a problem by removing ourselves from the emotional side and looking beneath the surface.  If we are mocking or scorning, we will not find His answers.  The next time we are in a situation where we need understanding, don’t react so emotionally.  Stop and ask the Lord for understanding.

Knowing God - He Divides

Isa 19:2

And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

The Lord is at work even among those who have set him at a distance and have decided to run their own lives.  He will set person against person to manifest the confusion and division present within their lives.  The unity we all love and seek can only come through the Holy Spirit and submission to the head of the body; Jesus Christ.  When people decide to do what is right in their own eyes, agreement and unity is virtually impossible.  They may walk agreed for a short time but the unraveling of agreement is inevitable.  God will intervene and God will set one against another with the hope of repentance and submission towards Him.  He is the One who is intricately involved in the affairs of man and it is His purposes that He brings about.  Our God is not just the God of unity but the God of division when hand joins with hand to bring about wickedness or the oppression of His people.

Proverbs - Truth and Faithulness

Proverbs 14:5

 A faithful witness will not lie:

but a false witness will utter lies.

Truth is the mark of integrity.  Our children need to know that their moms are truthful.  We represent authority to our children and truth creates a secure environment that our children can learn to interpret and respond in.  When we lie or misrepresent the truth to our children their ability to process their environment gets confused and clouded.  When they can’t trust authority the precious faith that the Lord has put in them begins to weaken and their hearts can be vulnerable to suspicion and insecurity.  We are His witnesses and it is important that we are women who seek to be honest and accurate in all of our dealings.  To every man is given a measure of faith.  Our children’s measure should be guarded and their hearts handled with great care.  Truth, no matter how difficult it may be, is something that can be faced and dealt with.  Lies create mistrust and confusion.  If there is a truth we sense that our children are not ready for we are not forced to lie.  We explain to them that we don’t feel it is the right time to give them that information.  That is still speaking the truth.  The devil is father of ALL lies and we don’t want him to birth anything in our lives.  If you sense the Spirit of Truth bringing to your mind someone you lied to, ask Him how you might get things right.  Consider what you are telling your children concerning legends and perhaps holiday traditions.  We want to be faithful witnesses.

Knowing God - He Restricts to Protect

Zech 2:5

For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.

The Lord will be a wall of fire around us and the glory in the midst of us.  He will blind us from the enemy’s eyes and will outshine the darkest plots of our adversary.  He is powerful and mighty and is not worthy to be equated with the influence and understood strategies of our enemy.  We are not match for our enemies but He is like a wall of fire around us.  He will be our boundaries and He will often cause us to be limited in movement to protect us from the snares of the wicked one.  He loves us and His love is a militant love.  Let’s enjoy His presence, enjoy any sort of restricted seasons and trust He is that wall that protects us from going beyond certain boundaries and prevents that which would seek us harm from coming in.

Proverbs - People Vs. Things

Proverbs 14:4

Where no oxen are, the crib is clean:

 but much increase is by the strength of the ox.

A crib is another name for a manger or barn.  This verse is telling us that if there are no oxen in the manger the manger is really clean.  There is no hay to be stored, no flies associated with their presence, no waste on the ground and the dirt doesn't get disturbed – a smooth, clean surface to walk in and admire.  Having a clean barn is not supposed to be the goal of someone who owns such a facility.  If we were to visit a farmer/cattle rancher and found his facilities sparkling clean and quiet without traces of livestock, we would wonder what sort of farmer he was. We would wonder how he plows his fields or gathers his harvest.  Although things would look nice, they would seem strange and the barn would not only be empty of messes, but the grain itself would be missing or minimal.  Sisters, we have been given facilities by the Lord – our homes, cars, and material goods.  Sometimes in seeking to take care of our goods and keep our homes in order we can miss His purposes in giving them to us.  Our ‘oxen’ are often people that fill our homes and lives and often create a bit of a mess and cause us to have to clean and maintain because of their presence.  Our children, husbands, roommates, friends and family all fill our lives and homes and as a result things aren't always as clean as we might like them to be. But, there is much increase through the strength of the ox.  The people in our lives are placed there by the Lord to bring about an increase in our lives, to plow and harvest all that the Lord wants to grow in us.  When we have messes as a result of our children or having others over in our homes, we must remember God’s truth more than our fleshly perspectives.  We are supposed to work willingly with our hands and thank Him for all He is doing in our lives through those around us.

Knowing God - He Draws Near to the Wounded

Ps 34:18

 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

When our hearts are broken we can feel very alone in our pain.  The Lord lets us know that He is near to those who have a broken heart.  He draws extra close when we are the most vulnerable and wounded.  He wants us to know that when we are very broken and when we are very sorry, He comes close with comfort and deliverance.  The brokenness here is most likely associated with bad choices we have made and the regret we may find ourselves having.  Our adversary points at us and tells us we are isolated and that the Lord is far.  His Word expresses otherwise.  He is near and in the brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit we can trust He is near to us and will bring us through.  There is no need to prove anything to God in order to have Him come close; rather we must admit our self induced wounds and genuine regret and sorrow over the sinful or foolish choices we have made.  If we come to Him, He will in no wise cast us out.

Proverbs - Foolish Words Come From Pride

Proverbs 14:3

                                                 

In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride:

but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.

The Lord warns us earlier in this chapter that the foolish woman will tear down her home with her own hands.  Here we see that when we speak foolishly we have pride at the very core of our motivation.  Words can tear down a house, a marriage, a parent-child relationship.  We must remember that words are very powerful.  They can bring life and they can bring death.  When our words are foolish and they are rooted in some sort of self focus.  When we are focused on self, we are not aware of others’ needs and feelings.  For some reason, the rod of pride banishes the interests and feelings of others.  This rod of pride is stubborn and judgmental.  It is swung with disregard to all those in its path.  Ladies, the Lord wants our lips to speak wise things.  Wise words grace all those who hear them.  Wise words are rooted in love and concern for honoring God and loving others.  When we are wise women our words will preserve us.  They will protect us from unnecessary conflict.  These wise words will nurture our relationships and preserve them from decay.  When we find words that are strong in judgment and harsh in delivery, we should stop, perhaps go into the restroom or backyard and confess the rod of pride.  Ask the Lord for humility and meekness.  Wisdom is associated with meekness and consideration.  When words are wise they don’t have to prove themselves right.  They ARE right.  Lord, give us the ability to stop in the midst of foolish words and confess self focus.  Help us have a meekness about us that seeks to build up our homes and consider others as more important than ourselves.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen